Severe Thunderstorms Bring Flash Flooding to Memphis Metro Area
Powerful storms brought 60 mph winds and flash flooding to Memphis area Monday night as emergency officials reported up to 2.5 inches of rainfall.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE — Severe thunderstorms swept through the Memphis metropolitan area Monday evening, prompting multiple weather warnings and causing flash flooding across several counties in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.
The National Weather Service in Memphis issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning at 8:49 p.m. CDT for portions of southern Shelby County in west Tennessee, DeSoto County in northwestern Mississippi, northwestern Marshall County in northwestern Mississippi, and south central Crittenden County in eastern Arkansas. The warning remained in effect until 9:30 p.m. CDT.
At 8:49 p.m., radar indicated a severe thunderstorm located over Pinckney, approximately 10 miles southwest of T.O. Fuller State Park, moving east at 35 mph with wind gusts reaching 60 mph.
Multiple Flash Flood Warnings Issued
Emergency management officials reported that thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall across the region, with between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain falling by 8:45 p.m. The National Weather Service issued Flash Flood Warnings for multiple counties, warning that additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2.5 inches were possible.
The expected rainfall rate reached 2 to 3 inches per hour, according to the weather service. Flash flooding was either ongoing or expected to begin shortly across the warned areas.
Affected locations included Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, West Memphis, Forrest City, Marion, Millington, Wynne, Earle, Hughes, Parkin, Madison, Palestine, T.O. Fuller State Park, Village Creek State Park, Meeman Shelby Forest State Park, Cordova, Memphis, Lakeland, and Arlington.
Storm Damage Potential
Weather officials warned residents to expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees from the 60 mph wind gusts. The severe thunderstorm warning also impacted communities including Southaven, Olive Branch, Horn Lake, Hernando, Byhalia, Walls, Horseshoe Lake, Anthonyville, Lake Cormorant, Southwest Memphis, Lynchburg, Whitehaven, Lewisburg, Newport, Cockrum, and Cedarview.
The storm system affected major transportation routes, including Interstate 22 in Mississippi between mile markers 1 and 14, and Interstate 55 in Tennessee. The National Weather Service warned that flash flooding could impact small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets, underpasses, and other poor drainage and low-lying areas.
Multi-County Impact
Flash Flood Warnings covered extensive areas across three states. In Arkansas, Crittenden County, Cross County, and St. Francis County were under warnings. Shelby County in Tennessee also faced flooding concerns, while portions of DeSoto County and Marshall County in Mississippi were included in the severe weather alerts.
The weather service issued the flash flood warnings between 8:15 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. CDT, with all warnings set to expire at 11:15 p.m. CDT Monday evening.
